Chapter 658: Zane Jennings and Jasmine Jennings
Chapter 658: Chapter 658: Zane Jennings and Jasmine Jennings
Two days later, Tiberius Lee, who had attempted to take Tina to Marland, was arrested.
The police discovered he had been using the pretense of being in a relationship and wanting the women to meet his parents to trick them into going abroad.
To his own relatives and friends, he used the lure of high-paying jobs, tricking them into going to Marland before ultimately selling them.
The police had already issued a public notice stating that similar scams were still occurring and urged citizens to heighten their awareness and guard against falling victim to fraud.
That afternoon, Renee received a WeChat message from Spicy, saying that Tina wanted to express her gratitude in person.
Renee politely declined the offer: "You don’t have to thank me. Your greatest fortune is having a good friend like Leila."
’If it weren’t for Leila, I never would have discovered Tiberius Lee’s plot, even with my ability to communicate with animals.’
’Some friends are like gifts from life itself—precious and warm.’
Renee remembered that her best friend’s birthday was coming up.
She glanced at the calendar and realized what a coincidence it was—everyone around her seemed to have birthdays in October and November.
For the next while, Renee spent most of her time celebrating birthdays, occasionally checking in at the police station or doing a livestream.
After the first light snow, the temperature had already dropped to freezing.
In December, Rhea Dempsey finally found a nanny she was happy with.
The new nanny had also been introduced by Danielle Archer. Her name was Barbara Young, she was forty-one, and she was a divorcee with a daughter already in college.
Barbara Young had worked in housekeeping since she was a young woman, leaving her daughter to be raised by her mother-in-law back in her hometown.
Unexpectedly, her husband, who resented her for giving birth to a daughter, found another woman to have a child with. When that woman gave birth to a son, he filed for divorce.
Barbara Young took her daughter back to her parents’ home, asking them to help care for the child while she continued to work as a nanny in the city.
She had worked for one employer for eleven years, only leaving last year after the employer’s son was accepted into college.
Later, she was referred to a new employer’s home.
At first, the job was fine, but then the male head of the household sexually harassed her when his wife was away.
Barbara Young was terrified. She quit the very next day and then transferred to Danielle Archer’s housekeeping agency.
Barbara Young was an honest person and got along well with Glenn Zane. The two of them worked together without quibbling over who did the easier or harder tasks, which left Rhea Dempsey very satisfied.
In the blink of an eye, it was Christmas, which fell on a Saturday that year.
The trees outside the window were cloaked in fluffy snow, the air was filled with the rich aroma of coffee, and a joyful, melodious song echoed softly.
Renee held her coffee cup, her eyes soft with a smile. Her gaze swept slowly over the seven-foot-tall Christmas tree before finally settling on several small children wearing red velvet Santa hats.
Jasmine stood on her tiptoes, hanging a string of small golden bells onto the Christmas tree.
"Brother, Willow, Glenn, look! Do you think it looks good?"
A smile touched Zane’s lips as he nodded. "It looks great."
Willow praised, "Jasmine, you’re so good at this!"
Glenn nodded vigorously as well. "I think it looks great!"
"Yay!" Jasmine clapped her small hands, her face alight with joy. "That’s great! Does this mean we can make a wish to the Christmas tree now? And when we wake up tomorrow, we’ll get presents that Santa Claus secretly left for us!"
Zane pressed his lips together, shaking his head blankly. "I don’t know either."
It was also Willow and Glenn’s first time celebrating Christmas, so they were just as clueless.
Blueberry, dressed in a Christmas outfit bought by Michelle Fuller, was lounging lazily to one side. Hearing the children’s words, it said cheerfully, "What Santa Claus?"
Renee raised an eyebrow. ’Blueberry sure knows a lot,’ she thought.
Jasmine blinked her big eyes and said softly, "My best friend at preschool said that when you wake up, there’s a big stocking filled with lots of toys and snacks!"
Glenn’s eyes widened in surprise. "Really? That would be amazing!"
Zane and Willow, however, were calm. They both felt that their lives were already wonderful enough.
As evening approached, Michelle Fuller and Sylvia Brooks bustled in, carrying a cake and looking a bit windswept.
The children’s eyes lit up. They excitedly gathered around and called out in unison, "Hi, Sister Michelle! Hi, Sister Sharon!"
"Hello there, kids~"
"We’re here, we’re here! Come and get some cake!"
Renee asked, "Why isn’t Hank with you guys?"
Michelle Fuller replied while unboxing the cake, "He had a date, probably with a girl. I’ll have to ask him tomorrow if he’s being scammed again."
Sylvia Brooks said with a laugh, "Surely not. How could Hank be that unlucky?"
"Now that you mention it!" Michelle Fuller frowned. "I always just thought Hank was naive, but I never realized he’s both naive *and* unlucky!"
Renee: "..."
Sylvia Brooks: "..."
After they finished the last bite of cake, the team of chefs Michelle Fuller had hired arrived.
They placed a heavy grill and several insulated containers in a corner of the yard. The moment they opened the lids, a fresh, savory aroma wafted out. Inside were portions of expertly prepared fresh beef—some plain, some pre-marinated—all with a bright, appealing color.
Renee slung an arm around Michelle Fuller’s shoulder and laughed. "When it comes to food, you’re in a league of your own."
"Heh heh," Michelle Fuller giggled. "I’m a professional foodie, after all."
After the barbecue, Diana Jennings herded the children off to take their baths.
Once they were bathed, the whole group gathered in the living room to watch TV, feeling cozy and relaxed.
Jasmine was nodding off, so Diana Jennings gathered her into her arms. "I’ll take her upstairs to bed."
Zane said quietly, "Mom, I want to watch a little longer."
"Of course," Diana Jennings agreed with a smile.
Dalton Jenson patted his head. "This show has so many plotlines. Can you even follow what’s going on?"
"I can, Grandpa," Zane replied. "I’m watching very carefully."
Rhea Dempsey gave Dalton Jenson a playful punch. "Don’t underestimate Zane. He’s got a fresh young brain; it works better than yours."
Dalton Jenson: "..."
Another half hour passed, and all the children had gone to bed.
Renee got up from the sofa and went to the utility room, returning with several large bags.
"What’s all that?" Dalton Jenson asked curiously.
Renee pulled a large red Christmas stocking from one of the bags. "Christmas presents for the kids."
"Renee, you already prepared all this?" Diana Jennings asked in surprise.
Renee’s lips curled into a grin. "Michelle and Summer helped me get everything ready."
Diana Jennings looked at them, her expression full of gratitude. "Thank you on behalf of Zane and Jasmine. This is so thoughtful of you all."
Just as they finished stuffing the gifts into the Christmas stockings, the doorbell suddenly rang.
"Who could be coming over this late?" Rhea Dempsey asked.
Michelle Fuller grumbled, "Don’t tell me it’s Sean coming over after his party."
"I’ll get it." Renee got up, walked to the foyer, and looked at the intercom screen. She saw two people dressed as Santa Claus standing outside the main gate.
She frowned, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her.
She picked up the intercom and asked, puzzled, "Hello, who are you looking for?"
One of the Santas spoke. "Hello, is this the home of Zane and Jasmine Jennings? We’re here to deliver their presents."
Hearing this, Renee turned back toward the living room and called out, "Sis, could you come here for a second?"